Can Disneyland Game Rush Pick Up Where Virtual Magic Kingdom Left Off?

It's certainly a fun start!

For the 50th anniversary of Disneyland, Disney launched Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK) — an ambitious online world that invited guests from around the globe to celebrate the joys of Disney parks together. Built around the idea that “the happiest place on earth” could live inside your computer, VMK let players design avatars, collect virtual pins, and explore digital versions of Main Street U.S.A., Adventureland, and Tomorrowland.

It built upon the legacy of Capcom’s Adventures in the Magic Kingdom, the 1990 NES game that first gave players a tour through attractions like Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean. But unlike its 8-bit predecessor, VMK added something revolutionary — community. It wasn’t just about completing mini-games; it was about connecting with fellow Disney fans from around the world.

Even after the game’s closure in 2008, the nostalgia for VMK never faded. Its spirit lived on through fan recreations, online forums, and memories of digital fireworks shows shared among friends who had never met in person. Later titles like Kinect Disneyland Adventures continued the dream by letting players virtually walk through the park, waving to Mickey or riding Peter Pan’s Flight. Yet for many, nothing quite captured that same sense of shared Disney joy that VMK inspired.

Now, for Disneyland’s 70th anniversary, Disney is reimagining that experience for a new generation with Disneyland Game Rush — a custom-built island inside Epic Games’ Fortnite. Just as VMK brought the parks to your desktop, Game Rush brings them to your console, phone, or tablet, letting anyone with Fortnite explore a world filled with classic Disney magic and modern adventure.

Players can dive into mini-games based on beloved attractions like Haunted Mansion and Matterhorn Bobsleds, alongside newer favorites such as Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission BREAKOUT! and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Each game reflects the essence of its real-world counterpart, whether that means dodging ghosts in eerie corridors or scaling snow-capped peaks with a grappling hook.

It’s a fitting tribute for Disneyland’s 70th, combining nostalgia with innovation, much like the park itself has done for seven decades.

These new games are pure fun — fast, approachable, and welcoming to players of all skill levels. Younger fans can jump in and play instantly, while seasoned gamers will appreciate the clever nods to park lore and Disney history. But beyond the gameplay, there’s something more meaningful happening here.

Just like VMK once did, Disneyland Game Rush gives fans who can’t always visit Anaheim a way to feel part of the celebration. It transforms the idea of Disney fandom into a shared, playable experience — a digital Main Street where imagination meets interactivity.

For those who grew up wandering the pixelated paths of VMK, Game Rush feels like a homecoming. And for a new generation discovering Disneyland through a screen, it’s an introduction to the same kind of wonder that’s defined the park for seventy years.

Because no matter the platform — 8-bit, online, or in Fortnite — the happiest place on earth has always found a way to welcome everyone home. While not part of the major Epic Games project, Disneyland Game Rush makes you realize how great the upcoming experience could be.

For fun, I figured it would be interesting to see which attractions were represented in some Disneyland-inspired video games. Congratulations to the Haunted Mansion for being featured in every iteration.

Adventures in the Magic Kingdom:

Virtual Magic Kingdom: 

  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Haunted Mansion
  • Jungle Cruise
  • Space Mountain
  • Autopia

Kinect Disneyland Adventures:

Disneyland Game Rush:

Ben Breitbart
Benji is a lifelong Disney fan who also specializes in business and finance. Thankfully for us, he's able to combine these knowledge bases for Laughing Place, analyzing all of the moves The Walt Disney Company makes.
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